You’d be a fool to miss these guys
Anyone who regularly visits the hallowed pages of One on One will know how much we love Frank Turner.
If you ask us, he’s one of the best in the business. Not only has he proven himself to be more than capable of cracking out album after album of stone-cold gold, but he’s also one of the most highly-energetic, infectious, and downright enjoyable live acts in the game today. Don’t believe us? Check out his set from Reading Festival 2016 and see for yourself exactly what the man is capable of:
He’s not bad at all, really, is he
Another thing we adore about Frank, though, is the fact that he always takes the time to hand-pick the support acts for his headline shows. It’s how we’ve found some of our favourite artists: from Will Varley to Skinny Lister via Beans On Toast and Flogging Molly, we’ve encountered a hell of a lot of jaw-droppingly good live music by doing nothing more than turning up early to a Frank Turner gig.
So, all things considered, it’s no surprise that he’s picked out an absolutely stellar supporting line-up for his current UK tour. If you’ve already been to a show, you may have already had the pleasure of seeing The Homeless Gospel Choir and Arkells warming up for Frank – but, if you haven’t, let us take a moment to explain to you exactly what makes them so freakin’ special.
Seriously, why the heck wouldn’t you want to see these guys
First things first, let us tell you a bit about The Homeless Gospel Choir. He – yes, it’s just one guy – is a folk-punk artist from Pittsburgh, and he’s probably the most punk-rock guy we’ve ever seen. We mean, this guy just does not give a fuck. When he’s not singing songs of politics, he’s waxing lyrical about the state of the world; when he’s not belting out a protest song, he’s highlighting serious problems with the way that the modern world handles mental health issues. It’s bonkers, yet brilliant, and you’d be mad to miss it.
Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about Arkells
Hell, how could we forget about Arkells? After all, they’re one of the most exciting new bands around at the moment. Well, we say new; new to these shores, perhaps. They’re certainly not new in their native Canada – as a matter of fact, they happen to sell out football stadiums after there.
But, for all the unadorned Britons who haven’t quite twigged as to just how good they are yet, let us give you a brief explanation. Not only do they write genuinely infectious indie-rock music that sounds a bit like The Heavy, but they also have a knack for writing the kind of instantaneous chorus that makes you want to close your eyes, forget the world around you, and scream along to every note of it it at the top of your vocal register. They’re bloody brilliant, and they’ll do a beautiful job of warming you up before Mr. Frank Turner takes to the stage – we think that you’d be foolish to miss them.
